I don’t know what working parents do without a slow cooker. You can make so many delicious, versatile, and healthy dinners with very little work involved. I rely on it for so many weeknight dinners, and I’m always looking for new recipes I can use with it. It’s fast, easy, and you get to come home from work to the house smelling amazing.

When I’m adapting recipes to work in the slow cooker or looking at already existing slow cooker recipes, the most important part for me is short prep. I hate having to spend an hour getting everything ready to put in the slow cooker… what’s the point? I could have cooked dinner in that time. I prefer when I can just toss everything in, turn it on, and forget about it. This chicken ramen recipe is just that!

All you need to do is dice an onion and add it to the slow cooker along with fresh ginger, garlic, sesame oil, fish sauce, soy sauce, rice vinegar, shiitake mushrooms, green onion, chicken broth, and water. Stir it all together.

Then add in your chicken thighs, and turn your slow cooker on high for 4 hours or on low for 8 hours until the chicken is tender enough to shred.

Just before serving, add baby bok choy to the slow cooker (or fresh spinach works too!). Then, prepare your ramen noodles. You can use authentic ramen noodles or the cheap instant ramen you see at the grocery store. If you use the instant, prepare according to package directions but do not add the seasoning packet.

Once cooked, place your ramen noodles in your serving bowl, and ladle the broth and chicken over them. Top with sesame seeds, more green onion, and a soft boiled egg for some added protein!